Mechanical Engineering Technologies at Northwest State Community College
OH · Associate's Degree · CIP 15.08
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Mechanical Engineering Technologies degree from Northwest State Community College earn a median salary of $54,404 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OH, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $60,382. The degree typically pays for itself in 9.4 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$45,903
Typical Career
$54,404
Top Performers
$78,843
Estimated break-even: 9.4 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$363
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,534. Most students can comfortably afford about a $363 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.4x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Ohio buys what costs $0.90 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Manufacturing, Retail Trade.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$60,382
Nominal: $54,404 in Ohio (COL 90.1% of national avg) · 11% higher purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $27,141 | $39,425 | $56,170 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $45,903 | $54,404 | $78,843 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $50,245 | $73,442 | $100,153 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $54,404 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OH, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $54,404 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9010)
= $60,382 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries that graduates enter are Health Care & Social Assistance, which accounts for 66.0% of employment, followed by Manufacturing at 25.0%. This diverse industry representation suggests a solid job market for graduates. The estimated break-even point for pursuing this degree versus a high school-only path is approximately 9.4 years, indicating a favorable return on investment for those who complete the program, particularly given the potential for higher earnings in the long term.
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Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.